Partners in Crime
by iknowuknow
Summary: Juliet's parents are coming into town, and they're expecting to meet her boyfriend. One problem, though... he isn't real. There's only one man she trusts to help her in this deceit, and he's not always so good with pretending. Will they succeed, or will this deceit be a failure? *For my queen, Loafer*
1. Help!

**Takes place around the time of "High Noon(ish)" and "Devil is in the Details," so spoilers for those. I've decided this is why there is no B-story in "Devil is in the Details."**

Juliet sighed as she looked at the papers in front of her. She and her partner were just finishing paperwork for a case heavily tied to his childhood, and both were very tired.

"I can finish up here if you want, O'Hara," he told her, looking at the clock. "We've already been here for two hours after end of shift."

She started to shake her head, then nodded. "Alright. Just let me check my email, then we are _both_ going to dinner. You need to eat just as much as I do."

He sighed, but nodded.

She walked over to her computer and logged in to her email. She gasped.

"Something wrong, O'Hara?"

She turned in her chair to face him. "My mom is coming into town with my step-dad."

He scrunched up his eyebrows. "Why is that a problem?"

She rubbed the back of her neck. "I, uh, may have told her I have a boyfriend."

"Why did you do that?"

She shot him a look.

"I just mean she sounded pretty understanding any time you've talked about her."

"Well, she is. Just... other than Ewan, I'm the only one not married. Conran and Donnan have been married for years, and they both have multiple children. I don't even have a boyfriend."

He nodded. "I understand. My mom is still in denial about the whole Victoria thing. My dad won't leave me alone, either, despite the fact that I rarely speak with him. Out of my five siblings and I, the only other one without kids is Lauren. I have eight nieces and nephews. I'm also the only one divorced, and my romantic prospects are nonexistent."

She nodded, perked up, then deflated again.

"What?"

She looked back at him, "I just had an idea, but nevermind."

He gave her an odd look. "What's this idea of yours?"

"Well... I was thinking... Maybe you could pretend to be my boyfriend?"

"Me?"

"Well, yeah. I already spend all my time with you, and it would be a great reason for no one else to know about it."

"But they already met me. I know I made an ass of myself."

She shook her head. "Not completely. My mom and step-dad didn't get in until the next day, so you didn't meet them. My aunt said you were handsome and seemed nice, and my uncle thought you were well-meaning. My nephews had mostly nice things to say, and they talk about you every year, now. Plus, it's been years. I'm sure no one really even remembers."

He sighed. "I don't know, O'Hara. You know my track record with undercover operation isn't all that great."

"I don't know if you've forgotten, but it's not my strong point, either. I just don't know who else to ask."

"You could ask Spencer?"

She laughed. "Shawn means well, but I just can't really see myself with him. He's too much of a child, and I just don't know if I could trust him to take this seriously. Plus, my parents would never believe it."

Carlton sighed, shutting down his computer and closing his folder. "Are you sure about this, O'Hara?"

She nodded. "Absolutely, partner. There's no one else I trust as much as you."

He nodded resolutely as he stood. 'Then I'll do it. When do they get in?"

"Tuesday evening."

He picked up her purse and handed it to her. "Then we've got a lot to prepare for."

 **Let me know what y'all think, and much love to Loafer**


	2. The Arrival

**I have now read four pages worth of Lassiet fics to prepare me, and have re-watched all of seasons 3 and 4 of** ** _Psych_** **(plus some other episodes here and there.) I'm feeling ready.**

After deciding on Ca' Dario for dinner, the two partners set right in on planning.

"I honestly didn't know they planned to come in at all, but I guess Lloyd has some accounting seminar here the week after next. Normal people might think, _Hey, I'll go see my daughter during the few days I'm here._ My parents have decided to stay here for nearly two weeks instead."

"Are you going to have to take off work? I'll cover for you with Vick if I need to, though I would be hard pressed to accept a temporary partner."

She shook her head. "That's not really my plan, so far. I don't really know what they are expecting, to be honest. With how busy everything has been, I haven't really seen them in years."

He parked in front of the Italian restaurant and shut off the engine. "Well, we could both take a few days off if needed."

She looked at him in surprise as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "Do my ears deceive me? Did Carlton 'Crime Never Takes a Vacation' Lassiter really just offer to take time off for me?"

He shrugged slightly, glad for the shadows of twilight to hide the coloring of his cheeks. He got out and went to open her door, but she got out before he could. He locked the door, then quickly walked to the restaurant door to hold that one open.

"You didn't have to do that," she told him with a smile.

His blush deepened, and he quickly changed the subject. "So do you have to get them from the airport, or..."

She shook her head. "No. Since-"

"Table for two?" The hostess asked.

Juliet nodded.

"Right this way."

"As I was saying, since Lloyd has that convention thing, they are renting a car. The email said to expect them around 7 PM."

He nodded his understanding as they slid into opposite sides of the booth.

"And how long are we meant to have dated for?"

Juliet thought for a minute. "At the very least, I would say since... um... June of last year?"

"But that's over a year."

She nodded. "Yeah, it would put us at about a year and two months. Can you handle that?"

He looked doubtful. "Do _you_ think I can handle that?"

She nodded. "We've been partners for years, and I can honestly say that no one here knows me as well as you do. If anyone can pass for my boyfriend of over a year, it's you."

"Can I get you something to drink?" a waitress asked.

Carlton glanced over the wine list. "We'll have the Petite Sirrah. I'd like the whole bottle, but please don't bring a decanter. We can pour it ourselves."

The young woman nodded, then scurried away.

Carlton noticed his partner's surprised expression. "Is that okay? 2008 was a great year for Sirrahs."

Juliet nodded. "I love a good Sirrah. It's just... that's a $56 bottle of wine, Carlton."

"I'll pay for it," he assured her, "I just figured it would be good to have a nice wine around your house."

She smiled. "You are so sweet. Speaking of my house, though, I need some of your stuff."

He shot her a look of confusion.

"We're meant to have been dating for over a year, so you ought to have shirts and stuff at my house. We can get an extra toothbrush and deodorant for my bathroom. I still have shampoo left over from when Donny stayed with me a few months back, but we can get some other kind if you don't think it's something you would use. I already use cinnamon toothpaste."

"You, uh... you know I won't actually be sleeping over, right?"

Her smile dropped for just a second, then reappeared slightly more forced. "Yeah, uh, yeah. I know."

"Not that I'm completely opposed to anything or anything, I just wouldn't want it to get awkward."

"Right, right."

They were spared any further delving into that conversation by the reappearance of the waitress with their wine.

* * *

"Okay, so be at my place Saturday around 10 AM and we will set everything up and do our shopping," Juliet instructed as he pulled up to her car at the station.

He nodded. "Will do. I'll see you tomorrow."

She flashed him a bright smile before getting out and switching to her own car. She rolled down the window and called out, "Goodnight, Carlton!" before speeding off toward home.

He hit his head against the steering wheel. _What have I gotten_ _myself into?_

* * *

To say Karen Vick was surprised with what she was hearing would be an understatement. "So you're telling me that not only will you _both_ potentially be taking off work at points during the next couple of weeks, but you are also pretending to be in a long-term relationship?"

Her two top detectives nodded simultaneously.

"I can't say I approve of either the deception or the potentially taking time off, but I will approve whatever you need. In all my years as your chief, I have never seen either of you take so much as a sick day. Let me know what you need, and I will do my best to help."

"Thank you, Chief," Juliet gushed. "It means a lot to me. Maybe you could come to dinner with us some time this week?"

Both Carlton and Karen looked nervous.

"I think I'll pass for now," Karen told her, "Only because this is a very busy week and I have never had a personal dinner with either of you."

"Well, consider it for the week after then. Please? I know my mom would very much like to meet you," Juliet pleaded.

Karen sighed. "I will consider it."

"Thank you," Carlton said walking out to his desk.

Juliet made to follow him.

"Oh, and O'Hara?"

"Yes, Chief?" she asked, turning back around.

"Be careful. The stake in this, for both of you, may well be higher than you know."

She sent her chief a curious look at this cryptic statement, but nodded and continued out of the office.

* * *

"Have lunch with me?" she asked her partner.

Carlton nodded without looking up from his report.

"Now?"

He looked up at her, then looked over at the clock. "Oh, I didn't realize how late it got! Let's go, O'Hara."

"Mony's sound good?"

"Yeah, I could go for a taco," he replied as they walked out to his car.

"Jules!"

Both turned around to find Shawn Spencer barreling toward them like a puppy on roller skates.

"What do you need, Spencer? We were just on our way to lunch."

"Ooh! Mind if I join you?"

Lassiter shot him a look, but did not answer. He instead looked to his partner to make the decision.

"Not today, Shawn. We have to work out some stuff while we eat."

"Ooh, like a new case? Count me in!"

"Not like a new case, Spencer, and it doesn't concern you anyway."

"Everything concerns me. Including your ears; can you hear babies crying in Ventura with those things?"

Carlton scowled, and Juliet shook her head.

"That was downright mean, Shawn," she replied. "We're leaving now."

The two partners turned and walked to his car.

"Wait," Shawn called.

"Make it quick," Juliet responded in a surprisingly Lassiter-like bark.

"Woah," Shawn retorted, "Someone woke up on the Lassiterian side of the bed."

"Cut it out, Spencer, we don't have time for your games," Carlton told him, getting into the car.

Juliet put her hands on her hips and scowled. "I am really quite hungry, Shawn, and I'm losing my patience."

"Okay, okay! No need to get all snippy. I'm sensing your parents are coming into town."

"And?"

"And I'm sensing they want to meet your boyfriend."

"What's your point, Shawn?"

"Well, I could pretend to be that boyfriend."

"Ha! No thanks, Shawn. I've got it covered." She walked over to the passenger seat and got in. "Let's go."

They left Shawn behind sputtering, "But... But... But..."

* * *

"So what kinds of activities are your parents into?" Carlton asked once they were settled in with their tacos.

Juliet shrugged, "They never really have had a chance to see the sights out here. I was thinking we could show them some of the cool places in Santa Barbara. Like the zoo."

He nodded. "Stearns Wharf and the Botanic Gardens would be great spots to show them, too."

"We could also take them to the beach. They haven't been in the Pacific before. They never came here before I moved here."

"Do they like museums?"

She thought for a moment. "Yes, I believe so."

"Well, we can take them to the Museum of Natural History."

"I'm sure they would enjoy that."

"We could also do the Carriage and Western Art Museum one evening, then take them to dinner at Toma after."

"Great idea!" Juliet smiled and reached across the table to squeeze the hand he had resting there. "Thank you for doing this for me, Carlton."

He blushed. "I... uh... I'd do anything for you, Juliet." He cleared his throat. "What are partners for, right?"

She laughed, "Well, I definitely have the best partner of all."

The next few days went by fairly quickly. The two spent the weekend together. They watched movies, prepared her house, and quizzed each other on all the information a long-term couple would likely know. By the time Tuesday night rolled around, Carlton and Juliet were ready.

They went by the Farmer's Market to stock her house with fresh groceries, then decided to cook a beef stir fry.

Juliet was surprised to discover that Carlton really knew what he was doing. She really enjoyed watching his long fingers as he chopped up the beef.

"Uh... Juliet?"

"Hmm?" She bit her lip and tried to pretend she had not been staring at him and daydreaming.

"Are you going to go let them in?"

When the doorbell rang for what she assumed to be the second time, she rushed over to her front door.

"Julie!"

Both of her parents rushed in and scooped her up into a big hug. "It's so great to see you guys!"

"So, where is this boyfriend of yours?"

"Mom!"

"What? I'm just excited. You've been refusing to talk about this elusive boyfriend, and the suspense is killing me!"

Carlton walked out of the kitchen carrying the pan of stir fry. "Hello."

He set it down on the table and walked over to them.

"These are my parents, Lloyd and Maryanne French."

He extended a hand. "It's so nice to finally meet you! I'm Carlton."

"Carlton... Isn't that the name of your work partner?" Maryanne asked her daughter.

Juliet nodded. "He is my work partner, yes. Which means no one at the station knows we are dating except the chief, so please don't say anything if you meet any of our coworkers."

Maryanne mimed zipping her lips.

"So, what's for dinner?" Lloyd asked as they walked over to the dining room table.

"Stir fry," Carlton replied, pulling out chairs for both Maryanne and her daughter.

"Oh, thank you," Maryanne told him with a smile. She then whispered to Juliet, "He seems like a keeper."

Juliet smiled.

"So how did you two meet?" Carlton queried as he passed the stir fry to Lloyd.

"Well, when I first met Maryanne, I was counseling her in her accounting. And I found, oh, so many discrepancies. But the one thing that I said to Maryanne is 'accounting is a puzzle, but I like to solve puzzles.' And she said, 'Well, I am also kind of a puzzle.' And I said, "Well, I can solve the puzzle of you.'"

Awkward laughter broke out from Juliet and Carlton.

"It was really much sweeter than that," Maryanne clarified.

The rest of dinner passed with light small talk, and soon it was time for Carlton to go.

"Are you sure you must go?" Maryanne asked.

Carlton nodded. "I have some business to take care of at home, but I'll be back bright and early tomorrow morning."

"Alright, see you then!"

Juliet smiled. "I'll walk you out to your car."

He unlocked his car, and she gave him a hug. "Thanks again for doing this, Carlton. I think they really liked you!"

He awkwardly hugged her back, but relaxed fairly quickly. "I'm glad. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

She nodded, then reluctantly let him go. "See you tomorrow."

He smiled and climbed into his car, then drove away.

 **I don't often do a lot of planning before writing, but I actually have been for this fic. I want it to go well. Anyway, let me know what you think!**


	3. Wednesday

**I realized while looking at my planning that I have some odd obsession with what they will eat. I planned out every meal... Anyway, enjoy!**

 **(PS: This is the longest chapter I have ever written, and I make no guarantees the next one will be this long.)**

Carlton rolled up to Juliet's house with two coffees and two teas, four coffee cakes, and four breakfast sandwiches. He somehow managed to not only exit his vehicle, but also to balance all of his offerings using just one hip and one hand. With the other, he used some clever movements to bring to his hand the house key Juliet had given him near the beginning of their partnership.

"Morning, Carlton," Juliet called, walking into the front room and grabbing the drink tray. She set the teas on the kitchen table, then took a big sip of the cup marked "J."

"Are your parents awake?" Carlton asked, as he began to set out the sandwiches and cakes.

She shrugged. "They may be. My mom likes to get up early and read, and Lloyd was planning to study up for his speech at the convention."

She switched his placement of the Reduced-Fat Turkey Bacon Breakfast Sandwich to be in front of her mom's Green Tea Latte, then filled it's previous spot with Lloyd's Ham and Swiss with Earl Grey Tea. She then walked over to the guest bedroom while Carlton set out their Egg and Cheddar sandwiches.

She knocked on the door, then slowly opened it.

"Good morning, Julie," Maryanne greeted as she set a bookmark in her book. "Lloyd?"

"Huh? Sorry, I was reviewing the potential changes to establishing expenditures for large amounts on items as according to section 179. Which reminds me, did I tell you about that client of mine who was struggling with-"

"Lloyd, it isn't really the time for one of your accounting anecdotes. Am I right in assuming by the wonderful smells assaulting my senses that Carlton has arrived with breakfast?"

Juliet nodded. "He went to Starbucks and got your favorites."

"Ooh, yay!" Maryanne quickly hopped out of the bed and headed for the kitchen.

"Good morning, Maryanne," Carlton greeted, pulling her chair out.

"Oh, thank you, Carlton! I can't help but tell you how excited I am to eat this."

He chuckled. "Well, I can make a pretty good breakfast sandwich, myself."

Juliet appeared at his elbow. "Don't be modest. Carlton makes the best egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches I have ever tasted ever. He is an amazing cook!"

Carlton blushed, pulling out Juliet's chair and pushing it back in with her in it before heading to his own seat.

Lloyd wandered out of the room and over to his seat quickly thereafter.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Maryanne asked.

"The zoo," Juliet answered. "I'm so excited! We're going on a behind-the-scenes tour."

"Isn't that sort of thing expensive?" Lloyd questioned.

Juliet shrugged. "Carlton arranged it."

"I did a favor for one of the zookeepers, Rodney, and he cleared it with his boss to come in on his day off to give us this tour."

"Wait a minute, Rodney Hammersmith? That guy who almost got thrown off a cliff by his crazy druggie ex-girlfriend?"

Carlton nodded.

Juliet looked at her parents. "He saved the guy's life. The crazy woman had him gagged and bound, and Carlton shot her in the hand when she reached to roll him off the cliff. It was an expert shot."

Carlton blushed. "I was just doing my job."

Juliet shook her head. "You were on a fishing and hunting trip in the Sierras with Henry Spencer. That's far from being on the job."

All Maryanne could say was, "Wow."

* * *

The zoo was much fuller than they expected for a Wednesday morning, but they still spotted Rodney pretty quickly.

"Howdy, folks!" He held out a hand for Lloyd to shake, then gave Carlton a slap on the back.

"And who's this pretty young lady?" he asked, grabbing Maryanne's hand and kissing it.

She laughed, then curtsied.

Juliet reached out and took Carlton's hand, and he tried not to jump at the unexpected contact.

Rodney regarded her curiously. "And you are?"

Juliet looked at Carlton for confirmation before saying anything. After all, this man was a sort-of friend of his.

He blushed, then coughed. "Uh, this is Juliet O'Hara. My girlfriend."

"Nice to meet you," Rodney told her with a wide smile. "Any friend of Carlton is a friend of mine. We're starting over by the anteaters. Follow me!"

They walked along train tracks until they reached the exhibit.

"So, this is the Giant Anteater exhibit. More than fifty have been born here since 1975. They are great swimmers, and have very little body fat. That's pure muscle you're seeing. An interesting fact many people don't know is that they actually eat more than ants. They love bananas! To keep them healthy, though, we feed them a special "insectivore mash" full of all the nutrients they need. It's kind of like the anteater version of instant oatmeal. They can eat up to 35,000 ants in a day, though, using their powerful stomach muscles and strong digestive juices to break down the food."

They saw many animals and learned quite a bit before lunch. Around 1:30, they stopped at The Ridley-Tree House Restaurant for sandwiches. They then went through the Rainforest Passage and saw all manner of beautiful birds. Maryanne especially enjoyed the Humboldt Penguins. "We have a little joke about these penguins. These penguins from the coast of South America like it "Chile," not chilly. In fact, their native climate is a lot like Santa Barbara's. That's why you don't see snow and ice slides. Many people think they all look alike, but each penguin actually has spots on its chest that look a lot like freckles, plus different feather markings, eye colors, and beak shapes. An interesting fact about keeping for these penguins is that we feed every one by hand. It's a two person job so that one person can record which penguins have eaten. We also keep track of how much they eat, and we feed them twice a day."

The next stop brought them to the big cats. "That there is Chadwick. He's my favorite of our lions, and has been here since 1998. He's actually considered small for a male lion, which I've always found funny since he's over 300 pounds. On hot days like today, we like to give him his own version of a popsicle. That's what you see him licking - frozen meat juice. Could you imagine finding that flavor in your popsicle box?"

* * *

For dinner, Carlton and Juliet printed out a recipe for mushroom pork chops. While the pork chops cooked, the family decided to play a game of Mad Gab - Juliet and Carlton against Maryanne and Lloyd. It turned out to be a hilarious idea, as Lloyd kept finding accounting terms in the nonsense words.

"I promise you, honey, the card has nothing to do with economic entities."

Juliet and Carlton were in the middle of figuring out "Noah's Cape Ferment" when the doorbell rang.

Juliet and Carlton both looked at each other and shook their heads.

"I have literally no clue who that could be," Juliet told her parents as she got up to get the door.

As soon as she opened it, she very nearly slammed it closed.

"Shawn, what are you doing here?" she asked through a tight-lipped smile.

"Jules, I came to meet your parents."

She shook her head. "Now's not a good time, Shawn."

"Don't be the undercooked middle of a microwavable burrito." He pushed his way in.

Luckily, Carlton had taken the momentary pause to go check on the pork chops.

"Hello," Shawn called to her parents. "I'm Shawn Spencer, Head Psychic for the SBPD and Juliet's boyfr-"

He was cut off as Juliet clapped a hand around his mouth. "Shawn's a little delusional," she answered her mother's odd look, "And believes I am dating him for some odd reason. As you know, I'm not. He thinks it's okay to just waltz into my house any time he likes. I don't know where he gets these silly ideas, but I do know that my real boyfriend has been getting more and more tempted to lock him up for trespassing." She grabbed him by the ear and dragged him out the door. "We need to talk, Shawn."

As soon as the door closed behind them, she punched him in the chest. "What part of 'I got it' doesn't make sense to you, Shawn?"

"The 'got it,' and maybe some of the 'I.'"

"You aren't funny, Shawn. I'm extremely mad at you! I tell you I can handle this, and you show up anyway. I tell you it's not a good time, and you barge in past me. I really could arrest you for trespassing, you know."

Shawn put his hands up. "Woah woah woah, let's take some deep breaths, here. I saw Lassie's car, and I assumed it's party time."

She put her hands on her hips. "Why were you here in the first place?"

He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Oh, you know, just driving by."

She gave him a look.

"But Lassie gets to meet them," he whined like a petulant child.

"Carlton Lassi _ter_ was invited. You were not. Please leave, Shawn. Don't make me ask him to help me get you out of here; you know he will."

"Wait a minute... Are you pretending _Lassie_ is your boyfr-"

She clapped a hand over his mouth again.

"What's your problem with the word 'boyfriend,' Jules?"

She grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him around, then pushed him toward his motorcycle. "Leave. Now."

"Okay, okay, but all I'm saying is..."

When he turned around, she was already inside and closing the door behind her.

"Fine," he grumbled, then hopped on his bike and rode away.

Meanwhile, inside...

"...but really, the indirect rates were all wrong!"

Carlton laughed. "That was a good one, Lloyd. Oh, you're back!" He hopped up and pulled out the chair beside him, glad she hadn't fallen for Shawn Spencer's mischievous charms.

"Of course I'm back!" she responded with a laugh. "Sorry about him. He can be a pain in the ass."

"Then why does he work with you?" Maryanne queried as she held out her plate for Carlton to put a pork chop on.

"He solves cases," Carlton replied simply.

When he sat back down, Juliet grabbed his hand and gave it a grateful squeeze.

He looked at her, and she sent him a large smile.

After dinner and a delicious dessert of vanilla ice cream and apple pie, they settled down to finish their game.

In the end, Carlton and Juliet won 10 to 8 and they called it quits.

Lloyd turned on the news, and Maryanne went to the guest room to retrieve her book. Carlton settled on the couch, and Juliet came to join him with a book of her own.

Maryanne settled into the overstuffed armchair, and Juliet laid her head in Carlton's lap.

She looked up expecting to see some sort of shock written on his face, but he just calmly began to stroke her hair and kept watching the news.

" _My Friend Flicka_?" Carlton asked, looking down at the cover of her book during a commercial break.

She shrugged. "It's a good book."

He nodded. "I've read it."

"What?"

He laughed. "My grandmother used to be a schoolteacher, and reading is very important to her. She used to make me do book reports, and this was one of the books she chose. It was actually a pretty good book."

Juliet laughed. "How old were you?"

He smiled down at her. "Far too old to be reading _My Friend Flicka._ "

She laughed harder, and he was very tempted to kiss her. He quickly turned his eyes back to the television.

When the 9 o'clock news ended, Carlton started to get up. "It's ten. I should get going."

Juliet frowned slightly, but tried to cover it up.

Maryanne shook her head. "No, no, you stay. Don't leave on account of us being here. Juliet is a big girl, and we don't expect you to sleep elsewhere just because we're here. Besides, you obviously keep a good amount of your things here."

He looked down at Juliet still in his lap.

She was chewing her lip and looking anywhere but at him.

"Okay," he responded.

The smile Juliet gave him in return could have blinded the sun itself.

"I'm gonna go change into pajamas," Juliet told them, putting the book down on the coffee table.

"I'm actually getting pretty tired. Aren't you, Lloyd?"

Lloyd didn't move.

Maryanne got up and shook him, and he let out a snore.

She and Carlton laughed.

She finally got him up and led him to the guest room. "Goodnight, Carlton!"

"Sleep well, Maryanne!"

Carlton got up and turned off the TV, then walked in the direction of Juliet's room. He debated knocking, but she made the choice for him by opening the door.

"They went to bed," he told her, following her into the room.

He walked over to the walk-in closet and picked out a pair of his flannel pajama pants and one of his old academy t-shirts. _I guess it's a good thing she had me bring some stuff over!_

He closed the closet door and quickly changed, then put the day's clothes on her pile of suits to be dry cleaned.

He walked over to her bathroom where she had already begun to brush her teeth. He picked up the toothbrush they bought for him on Saturday, and mused that it actually did end up being good that she already had cinnamon toothpaste.

Upon emerging, Carlton looked nervously at the Queen sized bed, then debated offering to sleep on the floor.

"Just get in the bed, Carlton," she told him with a laugh. "You look like you're scared it will bite you."

He gave her a nervous half-smile, then climbed into the bed.

She turned on the TV to a marathon of _SVU_ reruns, then climbed in on the other side.

By the time the first episode ended, Carlton found himself under the blankets with her head on his chest. He debated trying to move the arm she was also laying on, but decided whatever punishment he faced in the morning would be more than worth a night of this. He kissed the top of her head, then relaxed and closed his eyes for the best sleep of his life.

 **I hope you noticed my subtle shout-outs to some of my fellow Lassiet writers ;)**


	4. Thursday

When Juliet awoke in the morning, she felt more refreshed than she had in years. The supremely comfortable pillow her partner made surprised her to an extent, but the moments of sweetness she had seen from him over the years assured her that this was the real Carlton that had always been hiding just beneath the surface. These past few days had shown a softer side of Carlton Lassiter than even she had ever seen before, and she couldn't help but like what she saw.

Careful not to disturb him, she extracted herself from beneath his arm and walked out to the living room.

She spotted a similarly-colored head to her own just visible over the top of the couch.

"Mommy?"

Maryanne turned around. "Good morning, Julie! I woke up extra early this morning, and I didn't want to risk waking anyone else up."

Juliet nodded, looking up at the television displaying the morning news. "Ooh, it looks like the weather is supposed to be really nice, today!"

Maryanne smiled and looked back up from her book. "What did you have planned for today?"

Juliet shrugged, turning toward the kitchen. "Carlton and I have a list of places we thought you may like to see, so we can decide from there. I figured I would start breakfast, then ask Carlton when he gets up."

"Ask me what?" Carlton asked, appearing from the hall in running clothes.

"What you would like to do today," she answered, pulling down some cinnamon from the overhead cabinet.

He shrugged. "I was hoping to go for a run. You're both welcome to join me."

Maryanne shook her head. "I'll pass. My running days have long been over, but I do appreciate the invitation."

Juliet gestured to the food on the counter. "I planned on making breakfast."

He nodded as he walked toward her. "I'm in no hurry."

She smiled, then pulled down four mugs from a different cabinet. "I wanted to try a recipe I saw the other day for an easy mug coffee cake. I'm not sure if it will be entirely filling, but it looks fun to make."

He put one of the k-cups she preferred into her Keurig and started the machine. "I can whip up some scrambled eggs."

She smiled brightly. "Would you? Thank you, Carlton!"

He waved her off as he handed her the now-complete cup of coffee. "It's not a big deal, Juliet. Takes only minutes, really."

She set her mug down and hugged him. "You're the sweetest man I know."

He turned bright red, then quickly changed the subject as he prepared his own coffee.

The mug cakes turned out delicious, and the eggs were swiftly declared just as amazing. By 7:30, Carlton and Juliet were both well-fed and ready to go for a run. While on the run, they passed Stearns Wharf.

"Juliet, have your parents ever been to Stearns Wharf?"

She shook her head. "I don't believe so."

"Well, we could show them the wharf and the museum. They eat shellfish, right?"

She nodded as they turned the corner away from the beach.

"We could take them to the Shellfish Co. for lunch in between."

She smiled. "Great idea, Carlton!"

* * *

After both detectives had a chance to shower and change, the small group headed down to Stearns Wharf.

"Oh, this is that cute little boardwalk we saw when we drove in!" Maryanne's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I had so hoped to check this place out."

Juliet smiled. "It's beautiful."

"When no one is dead," Carlton added under his breath.

"What was that?"

Juliet laughed. "Nothing, Mom. What would you like to see first?"

Carlton reached out and took her hand, and Juliet privately smiled.

"Is that a palm reader?" Maryanne asked, pointing at a small shop.

"I once helped out a palm reader who was being audited," Lloyd began. "His finances were all in a tizzy, and- What?"

The other three burst into laughter.

"Honey, not everything has to be about accounting," Maryanne told him as she walked toward the palm reader's shop.

Juliet looked up at Carlton and whispered, "Would you mind if we were to check out the palm reader? I know it's not your thing, but my mom seems like she's really into the idea."

Carlton nodded. "As long as she doesn't touch _my_ palms, I'm okay with going in."

Juliet smiled and began to follow her parents.

As soon as they entered the shop, Carlton tried to let go of her hand.

Juliet groaned, but kept a tight hold on him. "Shawn, what could you possibly be doing here?"

"The spirits told me your mom wanted a palm reading, and I sensed that Madame Rose-stinka is on a break."

"So what you really mean," Carlton began, "Is that you heard Maryanne express an interest while you were pigging out at the corn dog stand nearby, and you decided to take the chance to convince Madame _Rosinka_ to go on a break so you could give some made-up crap show to Lloyd and Maryanne."

"Well, uh..." Shawn sputtered, then trailed off.

Carlton smiled triumphantly.

"Don't be the squeaky wheel that always needs the grease, Lassie."

"Did you just quote a James Taylor song?" Juliet asked.

Shawn sighed. "Jules, I can't help if the spirit of James Taylor wants to help me."

"James Taylor isn't dead," Carlton pointed out.

Shawn shrugged. "I've heard it both ways."

"I doubt that," Maryanne told him, turning to exit the shop.

"I liked him," Lloyd told them when they got outside.

"Of course you did," Maryanne responded with a laugh.

* * *

After stopping at quite a few shops, one of which left Carlton with his arms full of bags of candy, they decided to grab lunch.

Santa Barbara Shellfish Company was pretty packed for late morning on a Thursday, but they still managed to find seating.

Lloyd ordered the Dungeness Crab, while Maryanne went for shrimp. Juliet and Carlton went for their usual crab cakes and clam chowder to share.

"So what's the real deal behind that Shawn guy?" Maryanne queried. "For someone who claims to be psychic, he can't seem to take a hint."

Carlton full-on laughed.

Juliet smiled widely, happy to see her partner so relaxed. "He has some weird obsession with me. At first it was cute, but it's gotten increasingly weirder."

"Especially because he has a girlfriend," Carlton added.

Juliet nodded, "There is that."

Maryanne shook her head, but smiled. "I don't like him, but I guess I don't really get a say in your friends, anymore."

Juliet laughed. "I guess we're friends, but we certainly aren't as close as we once were."

Under his breath and soft enough that no one could quite understand, Carlton whispered, "Thank God."

* * *

After lunch, they decided to drop off the bags at the car so they would not need to carry them around the museum.

To the surprise of literally no one, Shawn Spencer was leaning against Carlton's car and playing a game on his phone.

"Spencer, get off my car," Carlton called.

Shawn jumped, then tried to cover it up by continuing to jump. "Lassie, Jules, hey! What are you doing here?"

"Don't take offense, but you seem like kind of an idiot," Maryanne told him.

Shawn looked shocked. Carlton laughed, put the bags in the backseat, locked the car, then turned back toward the wharf.

Shawn continued to stare, mouth agape, as Juliet retook Carlton's hand and smiled up at him. He still hadn't moved when the group disappeared from sight.

* * *

Upon arriving at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center, they realized they had no idea what to look at first.

They decided to find a map and decide which exhibits were must-see and which could wait for later.

They picked the "Jellies and Friends" exhibit to look at first, as neither Lloyd nor Maryanne has ever seen a jellyfish up-close. They then decided to hit the minerals exhibit, followed by the Chumash Indian Hall.

Upon finishing, they headed to the planetarium.

"YMCA, I need all eyes on me," a woman in a bright pink shirt called to a large group of children and adults sitting off to the side near the entrance.

Maryanne looked over at Juliet and Carlton. "YMCA? They have a YMCA in the museum?"

"The Santa Barbara Family YMCA Summer Day Camp Program," he answered. "They visit the museum a lot. It's their go-to when anything falls through."

"How do you know?" Lloyd asked.

"Oh, Carlton's baby sister used to work there every summer."

He nodded, then proudly added, "She's an aspiring filmmaker, now."

"Mr. Carlton?" a young woman in a shirt marked "Staff" queried. "Is that you?"

She rushed over and threw her arms around him.

"Mr. Carlton?" Juliet asked in amusement.

The younger woman smiled widely and stuck out her hand. "My name is Casey. Mr. Carlton was my favorite counselor back when I went to Y-Camp. In fact, he's the reason I became a counselor myself!"

He blushed.

Juliet shook the girl's hand, then lightly smacked Carlton. "You never told me you worked there, too, Mr. Favorite Counselor."

Casey nodded. "He worked there every summer from when I was in Kindergarten to when I went off to middle school. In fact, didn't you also used to do B&A?"

He nodded.

Casey looked over at the YMCA group. "I gotta go, but it was so great to see you again! Bye!"

Juliet waved, then turned back to Carlton.

"When I was in high school, I was going through a bunch of stuff. The head detective at the time, the man that later became the chief right before Vick, saw me making some bad choices after school one day and decided to help me turn it around. He helped me get a job working in Before & After-School Care for the Y so that I would have a productive use of my off time. I used the money to help take care of my younger siblings when Dad and Delaney needed help, and I also used it to get some of my friends some help. It didn't work for any of them, but I tried."

He shrugged, then began to lead them toward the entrance to the planetarium.

Maryanne leaned over to whisper in Juliet's ear, "He amazes me more and more every day," before walking away after him.

Juliet smiled and spoke to herself. "I know the feeling."

* * *

When they got home, Carlton and Juliet set about making Garlic Chicken with Caeser Salad. Carlton put the chicken into the oven, and Juliet began to prepare the salad.

Juliet found herself distracted momentarily as she watched him putter about the kitchen. He seemed to belong there, she noted, as he found all the dinnerware for the meal with ease. She turned back to the salad as he walked over to set the table.

Dinner proved to be an affair enjoyed by all. Shawn didn't try to make an appearance, much to the relief of everyone. Carlton somehow managed to pour four full glasses from the remaining wine, and Juliet was delighted to discover he had picked up a Pinot at some point before her parents arrived.

By the time they retired to bed, Carlton was exhausted and Juliet was more than a little in love. Both couldn't wait to cuddle up in bed, and that's exactly what they did.

 **I hope y'all are enjoying this. Between New Years, work, friends, and the party I'm throwing on Friday, life has been crazy! I don't know when I will have the chance to write again for exactly all of those reasons, but I am truly enjoying this journey!**


	5. Friday

**I know that I haven't updated in a bit, and I know this chapter is far too short to make up for that. Life is life, though, so I'm sure you all understand. The next chapter will be better!**

Carlton woke up smiling and looked at the beautiful blonde on the other side of the bed. He hadn't been this happy in a long time. He knew it couldn't last, as he knew they would go back to the way they were as soon as her parents left. Still, though, some deeply-hidden optimistic part of him somewhere in his heart entertained the notion that maybe he had a chance. His head overshadowed the notion with a lifetime of well-learned pessimism, but he still had hope deep inside.

"What are you thinking about?" a soft voice spoke from his left.

He looked over at her. "Hmm?"

"I can tell by the face you're making that you're deep in thought."

He laughed lightly. "I suppose I was, but I'm not anymore. What shall we make for breakfast today?"

She considered for a moment. "Omelets. I figure we can go for a run and still possibly have time to make something easy like omelets before they wake up."

He looked over at the "6:05" on the digital clock. "Alright, that sounds good."

She smiled brightly as she climbed out of bed.

She found some pink and grey shorts and a grey tank to throw on, and Carlton found black sweats and an old t-shirt from Juliet with a mug shot of a hardened squirrel and the words, 'Wanted in five neighborhoods on seventeen counts of larceny' written across it.

She laughed when she saw his selection. "Is that the shirt I gave you for Christmas last year? I didn't think you would keep it."

He blushed. "I keep everything you give me. Besides, it's good to have t-shirts to run in."

She smiled at him as they exited the house.

During the run, it began to rain pretty heavily. They decided today would be a great day for bowling and a movie, thus saving outdoor activities for nicer days to come. Carlton revealed that he had gotten a reservation at Toma for 5 PM, so they would just have a couple of hours to kill after the Carriage Museum's 3PM closing.

They got back just before 7, and both Maryanne and Lloyd were still peacefully asleep. Carlton and Juliet set about making omelets. While Juliet started the eggs, Carlton chopped up bits of ham and cheese, as well as some chives and tomatoes.

When all of the omelets were complete, they stood back to survey their handiwork.

"What smells so good?" Maryanne asked as she walked into the kitchen. A yawning Lloyd trailed closely behind.

"We made omelets" Juliet answered happily. "Sit and try one."

Breakfast went well, and Lloyd admitted to never having tasted an omelet so delicious before.

After breakfast and the morning news, they piled into Carlton's car to head to Zodo's for a few sessions of bowling.

Carlton knew that Juliet loved to bowl, and he was not at all surprised to find that her mother shared in this talent.

He'd been bowling a few times, but not often, and it had been years. He was pleasantly surprised to easily break 100 the first game. It certainly didn't compare to Maryanne's 220, and it especially didn't stay up against Juliet's 263.

"Juliet was the junior league champion for four years," Maryanne explained. Carlton gave Juliet a proud smile.

She blushed. "Well, I practiced _all the time_."

A few games later, Juliet was declared the ultimate champion. Carlton bowled a 142 the last game, and Juliet gave him a high five and a long hug for it. Lloyd tried to make some excuse about numbers and trajectories, and the rest of the group just went along with it. He bowled his high score of 72 in the second game, and they cheered relentlessly.

After bowling, they headed to Fairview Theater to catch the earliest showing of _The Time Traveler's Wife._ Juliet and Maryanne had both been hoping to see it, and Carlton reluctantly admitted afterward that it was not such a bad choice. Juliet and Maryanne had read the book, and Carlton agreed to read it soon after viewing the film.

Despite the rain, or maybe because of it, they decided to eat at Shoreline Cafe on the waterfront. To say the rainstorm looked beautiful from a restaurant right on the beach would be an understatement. The lightening on the water proved an especially wondrous sight. The food didn't hurt any either. Maryanne and Lloyd insisted on paying for the meal after all Juliet and Carlton had done. Lloyd had a weird obsession with Baja, and it worked out in the form of Baja Tacos he swore to be beyond compare.

After lunch, they headed over to the Carriage and Western Art Museum. Carlton, as a big history and Western buff, knew the museum by heart. Tours were not offered on Fridays, but Carlton was able to guide them through better than many of the employees could ever hope to. Juliet and her parents truly enjoyed the glimpse into the past. They saw old restored vehicles, and the collection of saddles was second to none. They saw saddles once owned by Will Rogers, Clark Gable, Cisco Kid, Jimmy Stewart and many others.

By the time they had finished at the museum, the rain had started to slow. The group decided to take a walk down the beach. They walked up and down the shoreline for around an hour, then headed to Carlton's car. Carlton and Juliet had dressy casual clothes already, but Maryanne and Lloyd had been less prepared. They decided to check out some of the shops along the waterfront to find clothes for the older couple. They found Maryanne a paisley print dress, and Lloyd got a new tie to go with his usual dress shirt and slacks.

They stopped at a salon owned by a friend of Juliet's, and everyone took turns changing in the pristine bathroom. Allie, Juliet's friend, insisted on doing Juliet's and Maryanne's makeup. By 4:45, they were ready for dinner. Maryanne laughed as she pointed out that Carlton's crimson tie matched Juliet's ruffled shirt, and both joked about planning it that way.

When they stepped into Toma, Maryanne gasped. "This place is gorgeous!" The setting managed to be intimate despite the business of the restaurant.

Lassiter walked up to the podium. "Reservation for four under 'Lassiter.'"

The woman looked down at her list, then looked back up at them with a smile. "Right this way."

They started out with a Cavoli for the table to share, which everyone enjoyed immensely.

Carlton ordered them a Prosecco to share, and the waitress raved about his choice.

Lloyd ordered the ravioli for dinner, while Maryanne and Juliet ordered scallops. Carlton ordered a braised beef short rib. For sides, they all got garlic fries and grilled asparagus.

When the bill came, Lloyd took it immediately. When Carlton tried to protest, he held up a hand. "You cannot pay for everything. I don't just mean from a moral standpoint. There is no way on a policeman's salary that you can easily afford all of this. Just let me take care of it."

Carlton sighed, but relented when Juliet took his hand and squeezed it.

When they got home, they watched _27 Dresses_ and ate caramel popcorn. Juliet owned the movie and had seen it a thousand times, so she found herself more and more distracted by the man she thought she knew before. Carlton never ceased to surprise her, and this week had been more than she could have hoped for thus far. As the movie played, she laid once again with her head in his lap. He absently stroked her hair as he watched the movie. Every so often, he would look down at her and smile.

When they climbed into bed later that night, Juliet didn't even pretend she was going to stay on her side.


	6. Saturday

**I know it took me forever, but I want to make sure I'm putting out the best writing I can. I promised a long chapter to make up for all the waiting, and I deliver. Enjoy!**

Carlton awoke and gently extricated himself from under Juliet. They'd been talking far into the night, and she deserved to sleep in.

He walked out to the kitchen and decided to begin making some eggs and bacon.

While he waited for the stove to heat, he wandered out to the living room. Maryanne had brought a family photo album from Miami, and he hadn't quite gotten a chance to look through it.

He looked at pages and pages before he found her. The first picture of her boasted a smiling baby and a laughing toddler he assumed to be her brother Donny. He wasn't surprised to see she'd been smiling since day one. He looked at how the family changed over the years. He noticed an absence of her father in any pictures, but the family still seemed happy. He saw her grow from the smiling baby, to a happy child, to a confident teenager, to the beautiful young woman he met when she moved to Santa Barbara.

"You really love her, don't you."

He looked up and saw Maryanne standing near the edge of the couch. "That's-" He sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah. Yeah, I do. It's like she's made of sunshine. No matter what seems to be happening around us, and no matter what I may be dealing with, she can make me smile. I honestly don't know how I made it so long without her."

Maryanne smiled. "In my experience, that means she's someone you should never let go of. I'm not just saying that because she's my daughter. I don't know how much Juliet has told you, but I haven't had the best of luck in relationships."

He shook his head. "I know her father wasn't much of a father, if that's alright to say."

She nodded. "He wasn't. He was around for the first few years with Conran, then a little less after Ewan, then about half the time after Donnan. With Juliet..." She sighed. "He was barely around at all. It was hard on her. I'm just glad he didn't have any more kids. I feel like that would have made things harder."

"It does," Carlton answered without thinking.

She shot him a curious look, but his obvious discomfort led her to let it go. "Anyway, Frank was just the beginning. He was a con-man. After him came Joe the embezzler, then Al the drunken pickpocket, then Steve who sold defective above-ground pools. I don't think Julie knows that I know, but even Lloyd used to have a gambling problem. My wish for her has always been that she make better choices than I did, and it seems she has."

She smiled at him, and he blushed.

By the time Juliet and Lloyd came out, Carlton and Maryanne had finished making breakfast and moved on to watching the news.

"Everything should still be hot," Maryanne told them.

Juliet smiled gratefully, then brought her full plate over to sit next to Carlton on the couch.

Carlton smiled and put an arm around her shoulders. During the next commercial break, Juliet went to do the dishes. Carlton caught a glance at the date when he took out his phone to check his emails. "Oh, crap!"

"What is it, Carlton?" Maryanne asked.

"I completely forgot that I told Ciara I would watch Peter this weekend!"

She sent him an odd look, "You have a son?"

"What?" Juliet asked as she came back into the room and sat on the couch.

"I said I would watch my nephew, Peter, this weekend so that my sister and her husband can go to Nevada to celebrate their 12th anniversary."

"Oh, he's your nephew. Why is that a problem?" Maryanne asked.

Carlton shrugged. "If no one minds then I don't suppose it is a huge deal. He would just be accompanying us for a few days. I could take him home at night."

"Nonsense," Lloyd told him. "That would be a waste of money. You stay here as you have been, and he can stay on the couch. We don't mind having him around."

"How old is he?" Maryanne queried.

"Um... eleven as of last month," he replied, sitting down on the couch next to Juliet.

"Is he the nephew I met last year?" Juliet asked. "The one from Colorado?"

Carlton shook his head. "No, that was Andrew. He's Benen's son. This is my sister's son."

"The one in South America?"

Carlton shook his head again. "You're thinking of Adara, and she lives in New Mexico with her husband and three kids."

"Oh, she's the one with the daughter the same age as Millie."

Carlton nodded, "My brother, Aidan, is the one in South America, and he's Addy's twin. No, this is Ciara's son, and you met him back in 2007. They live in Sacramento."

"Oh, the one who lives near your mom and speaks fluent Spanish," Juliet clarified, and he nodded in agreement.

Maryanne looked astonished as she followed the conversation between the two. "How do you keep any of this straight, Julie?"

She shrugged. "We've been partners for over four years, Mom. I've had time. He knows our whole family, and heaven knows there are plenty of difficult names there."

Maryanne nodded. "Well, I'll look forward to meeting this large family of yours when you two get married!"

Juliet spit out the water she had been drinking. "Mom!"

"What?" Maryanne asked, smiling as she looked between the two. "I know you've only been dating a little more than a year, but you said yourself that you've been together for over four years. I see the way you look at each other. I've seen that look in my own eyes in my wedding pictures. You look at each other like you're home. No pressure, I just figured it would be the inevitable next step."

Carlton turned crimson. "Well, uh..."

"We just haven't talked about it," Juliet cut in as she put a hand on her mother's arm.

Carlton nodded in relief.

"Well, when will we meet him?"

Carlton looked at his watch and shot up. "She'll be at my house in 10 minutes. I had better be going, but I'll be back."

"Mind if I tag along?" Juliet asked as she stood up and put a hand on his arm. "I'm sure my mom won't mind."

Maryanne shook her head in response and waved them on. "Go! Enjoy some alone time. We will be showered and ready by the time you get back."

Juliet nodded, shooting her mother a grateful smile as she followed Carlton out to the car.

* * *

"Thanks again for doing this, CarCar."

Carlton sighed. "Eventually, Ciara, you're going to have to learn how to say my name."

She gave him a look, then smiled and looked over at Juliet. "I've met you," she stated as she pointed at the younger woman.

Juliet nodded and extended a hand. "Juliet O'Hara."

Ciara gave Carlton a sly grin, and his eyes grew wider.

"Ah, yes, the partner he never shuts up about."

Carlton blushed and turned to walk away. Juliet put a hand on his arm and gave him a pleased smile, though, which calmed him down somewhat.

Raul came in with a backpack and a preteen.

"Hi, Peter," Carlton greeted.

The boy didn't look up.

"Peter, put that thing away," Ciara scolded as she snatched away his DSi.

"But, Mom! I was playing _Platinum_!I was just about to fight Team Galactic, and my Infernape is all leveled up and-"

Ciara shook her head. "It's going in your backpack. Uncle Carlton can decide when it's a good time for you to play it, but this is not that time."

Peter sighed, "Yes, Mom."

Raul waved at everyone, then walked out.

"He's a man of few words," Ciara explained. She leaned down to kiss Peter on the cheek. "Be good for Uncle Carlton. We'll be back here tomorrow night."

"Oh, uh, about that..."

Ciara looked back up at her brother.

"We're staying at Juliet's."

"Oh, really?" Ciara asked slyly. "And why is that?"

"Uh..." Carlton turned bright red.

"Convenience. My parents are in town, and Carlton helped me plan some fun stuff that I'm sure Peter would enjoy. I'll write down the address," Juliet interrupted smoothly. She went over to Carlton's junk drawer and found a small notepad with a mini pen through the spirals. She wrote down the address, then handed it to Ciara with a smile.

Ciara laughed. "I like you. Take good care of my little brother."

Juliet smiled. "I'll do my best."

Carlton, Juliet, and Peter walked her out to the car, then waved as the couple drove away.

"So what fun stuff are we doing?" Peter asked immediately.

Juliet opened the backseat door on her side of Carlton's car. "We haven't quite decided that yet. Peter nodded, then climbed into the backseat.

Peter wasn't quite sure what to think of this lady. She seemed nice, but looks can be deceiving.

"So, you like Pokemon?" Juliet asked.

Peter looked up. "You know about Pokemon?"

Juliet nodded. "I had the original Pokemon Blue game for GameBoy when I was 18."

Peter smiled and bounced excitedly. "Which Pokemon did you have?"

"Well..."

By the time they pulled up to Juliet's house, Peter had found his new best friend.

* * *

"Hello," Maryanne sang as the trio walked through the front door. She set her book down and got up to walk over to them. "I'm guessing this handsome fellow must be Peter."

Peter smiled and stuck a hand out. "Pleased to meet you."

"Oh, and a gentleman." She shook his hand and smiled back.

"What are we doing today?" he questioned. He looked at her suspiciously. "Something fun, right?"

She laughed. "Well, we haven't decided that yet."

"How about the movies?" Carlton asked the group.

Peter shook his head. "Nothing good is playing."

"We could go back to the beach," Lloyd recommended.

Peter shook his head. "I hate the sand."

"The Botanic Gardens are always fun this time of year," Juliet suggested.

Peter thought about it for a moment. "That's the place with the flowers, right?"

Juliet nodded. "It has many different plants, and also some small animals and bugs."

Peter thought for another moment. "Okay, but only if I can play my DS in the car."

The group looked at Carlton. Juliet gave him a slight nod.

He nodded. "Okay, but _only_ in the car."

"Yay!"

Maryanne and Lloyd filled a mid-sized cooler with fruit, water bottles, PB&J sandwiches, and a couple of juice-boxes.

The group piled into Carlton's car, Peter seated between Juliet's parents in the back, and headed off to the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens.

When they got to the Gardens, they went over to the Garden Shop to buy a couple of hand lenses. Peter received his own, while the adults shared the other one. They also picked up a pair of binoculars for the whole group.

Walking quietly through, they spotted turtles, fish, butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, lizards, squirrels, and even woodpeckers chipping away at a pole.

Peter wanted to see the Woodland Trail, but they discovered that the oaks were missing most of their leaves. In fact, much of the trail had been devastated by the Jesusita Fire a few months back.

Maryanne enjoyed the Tea House Garden best. The group had the opportunity to witness an authentic chanoyu tea ceremony before continuing through the rest of the Arroyo Section. A volunteer for the ShinKanAn Teahouse explained that it was open every second Saturday of the month, and Maryanne remarked that they would have to plan their next visit accordingly.

Carlton and Juliet discussed their love of the Meadows section. To anyone who didn't know, it would have seemed as though they'd visited together in the past.

After they left the Gardens, the group headed over to Shoreline Park to enjoy their picnic lunch.

Not long after they finished eating, a couple of boys around Peter's age came over to recruit him for the playground-wide boys vs. girls freeze tag war. While Juliet and Carlton sat on a bench and watched him play, Juliet's parents walked over to the Torii gate to head down to the bluffs.

"Do you want kids?" Carlton asked.

Juliet laughed. "Not quite sure where that came from, but yes."

Carlton nodded. "Me too."

Juliet smiled. "I figured."

He looked over at her in surprise.

She just laughed. "I've seen the way you are when Iris is at the station, and I've seen how you are as an Uncle. You hide it well, but you're like a Three Musketeers bar. The outside is hard chocolate, but the inside is soft and delicious."

He shot her a look. "Did you just compare me to candy?"

She nodded.

 _Did she just call me delicious?_

Peter chose that moment to climb onto the roof of the play structure with a few other boys and attempt to fly.

Carlton ran over to try to stop him, while Juliet just sat back and laughed hysterically.

"You don't look anywhere near old enough to be that boy's mother," a woman commented from the next bench over. "And I mean that as a compliment."

Juliet shook her head. "I'm not his mother."

The woman regarded her for a moment. "Step-mother? Was that man you were with not your husband?"

Juliet shook her head. "He's my partner."

The woman nodded. "So not yet."

Juliet didn't feel the need to go into it, so she just nodded.

"I don't mean to be a busybody. I'm just very good at people-watching. So who is the boy, then?"

Carlton appeared at that moment. "Ah, that's my nephew, Peter."

"Oh, that makes sense. Where are my manners? I'm Carolyn. Carolyn Miles. My two are the hooligans that convinced your Peter to join the war." She held out a hand to each in turn, and they shook.

"I'm Juliet, and this is Carlton."

Carolyn smiled. "Nice to meet you both." She looked down at her watch. "Unfortunately, I must be off. We've got a family dinner tonight, and you know how little boys can be."

They said their goodbyes, and the woman sauntered over to the playground. "James, Colin, time to go!"

About twenty minutes later, Maryanne and Lloyd reappeared.

"That beach is gorgeous," Maryanne commented.

They chatted for a few minutes, then decided to call it a day.

When they got home, they pulled out Monopoly and began to play. By the time five o'clock rolled around, Peter was winning with three full sets, a hotel on each property of one set, and three houses on each property in another set. He'd also landed on Free Parking enough to amass a good amount of spending money.

Carlton walked to the kitchen to begin dinner, and Maryanne trailed after him to grab the table settings. Carlton began the pollo fajitas for the adults. He then crumbled up the end of a loaf of bread and covered the remaining chicken in the crumbs to make baked chicken nuggets for Peter.

After dinner, Juliet called up the chief while everyone returned to the Monopoly game.

"O'Hara?"

"Hey, Karen. Are you and Iris busy tomorrow?"

"I don't believe so. Nothing after church, anyway. Why?"

"Well, we have Carlton's nephew for the weekend. I figured this would be as good a time as any to get together with you so that you can meet my parents."

Karen chose to ignore the implications of "we have" for the time being. "What were you thinking?"

"Backyard Bowls? We could take the kids over to the Moreton Bay Fig Tree after. Peter and my parents have never seen it."

"That sounds fine. What time were you thinking?"

"Church gets out at 11, so how about 12:30?"

"Perfect. I'll see you then!"

The women hung up. Juliet walked back into the room and shot Carlton a thumbs-up before heading to her DVD display.

"Peter, have you been exposed to the wonders of _Heartbreak Ridge_?"

He had not, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the movie while they finished their game. And none more than Carlton, who was pleasantly surprised that Juliet not only suggested the movie, but also owned a special edition copy.

After the movie, Maryanne and Lloyd headed to bed. Juliet raided the linen closet to prepare the couch for Peter, then handed him the TV remote and headed off to her room. Carlton had already changed into pajamas, and he was flipping through her DVR to find an SVU episode they had not yet seen. As she changed into pajamas herself, Juliet couldn't help but smile at the neatly folded men's pajamas in the drawer. She knew this was only meant to be temporary while her parents were in town, and she knew that come Tuesday he'd be heading back to his place for a few days. She'd never imagined how nice it would be to have Carlton around at home, though. The thought occurred to her that this is the Carlton she would get if she were really dating him, and she found she really liked the idea. REALLY liked it. This could be dangerous territory.

She snuggled up to him in her bed, and he idly began to play with her hair.

REALLY dangerous territory.


	7. Sunday

**I realize I am terrible... It has been over a month. Life got too crazy recently, and my writing time has** **suffered. Thanks for hanging in there with me, guys! Much love!**

Juliet tried to get up extra early to make breakfast before Carlton awoke, but she was unsuccessful. The moment she tried to move, the arm around her tightened. Carefully, she tried to maneuver herself out of his vice grip. He immediately awoke and saw her predicament, then turned bright red as he let her go. "Sorry."

She shook her head as she sat up. "No apology necessary. Honestly, I was only trying to get up because I wanted to surprise you with breakfast."

He smiled widely at her. "Has anyone ever mentioned how very sweet you are?"

She blushed and smiled back at him, "Well, I know no one has ever mentioned how sweet you truly are, Carlton Lassiter."

His smile grew as he sat up. "Do you want help with breakfast?"

Juliet nodded. They both got up and walked out to find Peter watching an episode of Pokemon. He looked up when he heard them walk in.

"Are you hungry?" Carlton asked him.

He nodded. "Can we have eggs? Ooh, and sausage?"

Juliet nodded. "We can make egg and sausage stir fry for breakfast."

Peter cheered.

Since Peter expressed an interest in how eggs cook, the adults allowed him to do the eggs while they worked on the rest of the stir fry and the sausage. Aside from a slight mishap with the spatula and a bit of undercooked egg that flew into Carlton's hair, Peter did a fantastic job with the eggs. Carlton added a few spices to the eggs, and they combined all the elements together.

After breakfast, which everyone enjoyed thoroughly, the group prepared to go to church at Our Lady of Guadalupe. The service began at nine and ran until eleven, and Peter did a fantastic job of sitting through the whole thing. Luckily, they had plenty of time to change into casual clothes before meeting the Vicks.

Lunch with Karen and Iris at Backyard Bowls was an interesting affair. The two detectives got to see a side of their boss not often shown because of the nature of their work and her professional image. The group shared quite a few laughs over berry smoothies and Dragon Fruit bowls, and this included Iris who was quite taken with Peter.

Peter played wonderfully with Iris by the Moreton Bay Fig Tree after lunch, while the adults talked animatedly about the adventures the past five days had seen them on. Karen especially enjoyed hearing about Peter and the boys at the playground, and commented on how much it seemed Peter adored his uncle. The Vicks left a little bit after two PM, and the rest of the group packed up soon after.

Peter's parents arrived around four, and they came with plenty of their own stories. Though Juliet offered them a spot for dinner, Ciara declined amongst a good amount of lighthearted teasing.

The family departed just before 5:30, and Carlton and Juliet decided to make filets and mashed potatoes with sweet corn. She made the corn and potatoes, while he worked on the steak.

When they went to bed that night, it was with full bellies and smiles about this relaxing day.

 **I know that this was ridiculously short. My hope is that I may be able to add more at some point. I'm just super busy lately, and I know that's no excuse, but I wanted to give y'all _something_. Anyway, much love from iknow, and know I plan to write more when I can.**


	8. Devil in the Details

MONDAY

Carlton and Juliet awoke to a call on his phone from Chief Vick at around 6 AM.

"Sorry to interrupt your time off, but I need you. There's been a death at St. Attalus Church and School. White female; late teens; no witnesses. Father Westley will meet you in front of the scene along with Officer McNab."

"Thank you, Chief," Carlton answered.

Juliet knocked on the door to the guest bedroom soon after when the two detectives were just getting ready to head out.

"The door is unlocked," Maryanne called.

"Hey, Mom. We got called in on a case, so we have to go. Will you be alright today?"

Maryanne laughed. "Of course we will, honey. We were planning to go kayaking at some point, and today works as well as any. We'll see you later."

Juliet walked in to give her mom a kiss on the cheek, then the detectives hopped in Carlton's car and headed to the scene.

* * *

The two detectives walked over and began to talk with the priests in charge of the school. Of course, they didn't get far before Father Westley turned and pointed to none other than Shawn Spencer and Burton Guster.

He turned back to the conversation as Father Westley walked away, but quickly realized they needed the older man. He walked over to the other three men.

"If you two don't mind, we're asking the questions."

"If one of them is 'Do the female students wear Catholic school girl uniforms?'" He turned to look at Carlton. "The answer to that is 'No.'"

"Stay. Father." He gestured to Father Westley to return to where they were conversing earlier.

"What else can you tell us about the deceased?" Juliet asked.

"Agatha was a model student," the younger priest began. "Hard-working, well-liked, outgoing. Then about three weeks ago," he looked toward Lassiter, "Something changed. She became extremely short tempered, emotionally unstable. Almost manic. None of us knew what it was."

Shawn came up behind Carlton and touched his left ear. Carlton scratched it.

"There was no history of mental illness," the priest continued as Shawn touched Carlton's right ear, "And her friends say she never touched drugs or alcohol."

Carlton looked behind him, but Shawn was trying to act innocent.

"Was she a fan of the game _Grand Theft Auto_?" Shawn looked down, then back up. "I know when I play, I become raving mad; foaming at the mouth."

"I had to taser him once," Gus added.

"Which I still feel was excessive," Shawn responded, looking over at his best friend.

"St. Attalus doesn't allow video games," the younger priest clarified, looking at Juliet for some reason.

"They don't allow Catholic school girl uniforms, either," Shawn added sadly.

"Will you let that go?"

"No, I will not," Shawn answered Gus as he turned more toward him.

"Will you two stop it?" Carlton asked through clenched teeth. "Excuse us for a moment, would you?" He reached out and went to put a hand on Juliet's back, then remembered their surroundings. "Detective…"

"Mm-hmm?"

"You know what I think?"

"What?"

"I think she was-"

"You're wrong," Shawn interrupted. "I'm sorry, I jumped the gun on that. Please continue."

"I think she was murdered."

"Are you finished?"

"Yes."

"You're wrong. My senses are telling me that this girl committed suicide."

"Well you can tell your senses to kiss my sweet-" Carlton saw a nun walking by. "Love… biscuits?"

Gus looked at the nun, then back at him. "I don't know if you made that any less offensive."

Juliet jumped in to save her partner. "Look, you have to admit there's something weird here. I mean, a girl like Agatha doesn't just randomly go nuts and kill herself. There has to be an explanation."

"I have one," Father Westley piped up.

"Now is not the time Peter," the younger priest admonished.

"No, no. If you don't mind, I'd like to hear what he has to say," Carlton told them.

The two priests walked over. "She was possessed."

Carlton silently considered the man, then nodded slightly.

Shawn whispered something about video games to Gus while Carlton and Juliet exchanged looks.

"So let me get this straight. You think that she was possessed? As in floating above the bed, head spinning, pukes up on the wall, that sort of thing?"

Father Westley disagreed with the detective. "That's the Hollywood version. The real life signs of possession are often more subtle than that."

Gus added, "Though there have been some reports of levitations in exorcism."

"That's true."

The younger priest piped up with, "You'll have to forgive Father Westley, he comes from an era of the church where such beliefs were more widely accepted. Today the majority of us view the concept of demonic possession to be a little far-fetched. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm late for a lecture. Father, you should come as well."

Father Westley turned to Gus. "I'm speaking the truth, Gus; you have to believe me. I don't arrive at such conclusions easily."

"Father Westley," the younger priest called.

"Yes," he responded as he turned.

Carlton's phone rang. "Lassiter."

Juliet got a chill as she thought about the case.

"You have a little shiver over there, Jules?"

"No, It's all this talk of devil and possession. I don't scare easily, but that stuff makes me shake in my boots."

Carlton noticed her talking to gel-head and company, and he decided this would be a great time to interrupt, even if with words he would rather not speak.

"I'm talking to Vick, she wants to know if you two dopes are on the case."

Shawn began, "Well, Lassie, my friend, I'm afraid the answer is a big fat-"

 _Yes!_

"Yes," Gus interrupted.

 _No!_

"And by yes, he means-"

 _Yes!_

"Absolutely."

 _No!_

"May I speak with you in the 'stop openly contradicting me' room, please?"

Gus looked at Lassiter. "You can tell her we'll take it."

"Karen, they're on the case. Are you sure we need them, though?"

Juliet chuckled as she laid a hand on his arm.

"Can do, Chief."

He hung up and looked at her.

"We're solving this case. No way in hell is Spencer one-upping us this time."

A nun shot him a very harsh look, and he bowed his head and led Juliet away from the scene.

* * *

A few hours later, Carlton and Juliet found themselves having lunch at Mony's again.

When they got back to work, it was a boring afternoon of conducting research and doing reports.

Juliet did find a clue in the form of a boyfriend named Cameron, and they scheduled a meeting at his apartment near the church for 11:30 AM the next day.

For dinner, they took Juliet's parents to Alcazar Tapas Bar.

With stomachs full of tacos, the group settled in for the last night Juliet's parents would be in town for a short while.

TUESDAY

Juliet's parents headed out to the three-day convention early the next morning.

"Make sure you stop at Vegan Mario's. The food is amazing, and it's on the way to the convention. It's technically Oak View, but it's worth the extra few minutes of driving. I'll send you the address," Carlton suggested as they hugged the older couple.

"Thank you, Carlton, we will," Maryanne answered with a smile as she shut the passenger door.

Once her parents were out of sight, Carlton and Juliet hopped in his car to go to their meeting on the other side of town.

Carlton knocked on the door. "Cameron, open up. SBPD."

The door opened to revealed a kid with pierced ears that somewhat resembled Buzz McNab.

"We called yesterday?"

He nodded at Juliet. "Come on in. Is this about Agatha?"

The detectives nodded.

"We need to ask you some questions," Carlton requested, gesturing toward a chair.

He nodded and sat.

"Uh, what was her major?"

"It's Christian Studies."

"Christian Studies," Juliet repeated as she wrote it down.

The door opened, and Shawn and Gus walked in. "Unbelievable. Lassie has now beaten us to a suspect. I'm afraid history will not look too kindly on your tenure as _lead_ investigator."

Carlton and Juliet looked at each other, both thinking, _"led investigator?"_

Gus hit Shawn, but Shawn kept walking. "Hey, kids, what did we miss?"

Juliet gestured to the boy next to her. "This is Agatha's ex-boyfriend."

"Let me guess," Shawn started with a finger to the side of his head, "Your name is Cameron."

"That's right," the boy replied.

Juliet looked annoyed.

"You guys broke up two days ago," Shawn continued.

"Wow."

"And you weigh a solid 225."

Cameron looked slightly less amazed. "You're about 50 pounds off."

"I got greedy," Shawn told Gus.

"Gosh, I'm sorry to hear about the breakup," Carlton told the kid, looking anything but sorry. "Those can be tough."

Juliet wondered where he was headed with this.

"Let me guess, you dumped her, but she wouldn't accept it?"

Seemed plausible, and Juliet looked to the kid for confirmation.

Cameron shook his head. "No, Agatha was the one that broke up with me."

Juliet wrote this down.

"I was willing to make it work."

Juliet looked back up at the kid. "Where were you last night when she jumped?"

He looked away from the harsh gaze of Carlton Lassiter. "I was in the desert at burning man."

"I hope you can prove that, buddy."

Juliet write down the alibi, then looked up at Lassiter with a look that he knew meant, "Innocent until proven guilty, Carlton."

Shawn stared at something in the room. "Well, it looks like you guys got this one covered. Gus and I are going to throw back a couple shots and hit the confessional booth."

Carlton and Juliet looked at each other in confusion, then looked back at Cameron.

"We'll be in touch after we check out your alibi," Carlton told the younger man.

With that, they turned and walked out the door.

* * *

At the station:

As Juliet was walking to her desk, she noticed Shawn leaning up against a pillar.

"Still think she was possessed, Shawn?"

She picked up the file and began to read it.

Shawn sighed, "There has to be an explanation for why Agatha was acting nuts. Tell me you have something there."

She shook her head. "I wish we did. Her toxicology report just came back negative."

Shawn snatched the file, and she tried not to look annoyed.

"Whoa."

"Are you getting a premonition?"

He looked at her. "No, just a head rush. Happens to me quite a bit when I'm sleep deprived."

She could no longer hide her annoyance.

"Spencer," Carlton greeted as he approached, "You're wrong about this one. That girl was murdered."

"I'm afraid that's not humanly possible," Shawn replied.

"And how come?" Carlton asked, crossing his arms.

"First, because you think she was murdered."

"Well, I guess we'll see."

"Yeah, we will see."

"Yeah, we'll see."

"I just said that."

"No, I said it-"

"Boys," Juliet interrupted, looking moreso at the supposed-adult she'd been spending all her time with.

Carlton walked away, and Juliet rolled her eyes.

"So, if she had any drug of any kind in her system, it would show up on this report?"

She looked at the report, then back at him. "No"

He looked confused. "No?"

"No, just the ones they test for. The standard narcotics and a handful of others, why? Do you have a specific drug in mind?"

He considered this. "Not yet."

With that, he handed her the folder and frolicked away.

"That was weird," she commented to herself.

That night, since Juliet's parents were out of town, Carlton decided to go home. He cooked himself a frozen meal from the microwave, settled in with some _COPS_ , and headed to bed around ten. He found, however, that he couldn't sleep.

At 1:23 AM, he gave up and called Juliet.

"You couldn't sleep either?" she asked when she picked up the phone.

He sighed. "No."

A brief pause occurred, then Juliet spoke. "Well, you could, I mean if you wanted to, come over?"

He sighed again. "I hate to be a burden, and-"

"I never mind having you around, Carlton, and this week has been amazing. Do you want to come over?"

"I- yeah."

She smiled, "Then I'll see you soon."

When he arrived at Juliet's, he was met with a great big hug.

"Is it weird that I missed having you around? Even though I was just with you not eight hours ago?"

He laughed slightly as he rubbed the back of his neck. "No, because I missed you, too."

She smiled brightly at him and hugged him again. "Okay, so I'm gonna take a chance here because I feel like I may not be alone in this."

"What is it, Juliet?"

"Do you think maybe we could try the dating thing for real?"

His smile could have brightened the blackest night, but dropped. "Are you sure? I mean really sure? Because I don't do halfway, Juliet."

She laughed, then kissed him. "Does that answer your question?"

He smiled. "Definitely."

She grabbed his hand and led him away. "Then let's go to bed, Carlton."

* * *

WEDNESDAY

The next morning, Shawn called to tell them that he had a vision involving Father Westley, Agatha, and drugs. They immediately ran a new battery of tests to check for more obscure drugs that an old man might take.

Juliet looked up the kinds of medicines that could cause someone to lose it enough to commit suicide, while Carlton looked at the medicines Father Westley regularly took and the medicines in Agatha's system. They found a match in the form of L-Dopa, a Parkinson's medication that Father Westley took daily.

"Time to bring him in," Carlton stated.

They got to the church and went right over to Father Westley.

Carlton put cuffs on him without malice, then read him his rights.

When they left the church, Shawn and Gus were standing right outside.

Juliet received a phone call from Shawn just as she and Carlton were finishing up with lunch.

"Carlton, Shawn had a vision and he says he solved the case."

He nodded and grabbed his keys. "Where to?"

Shawn and Gus were waiting outside when they arrived, and the foursome walked to Cameron's room together.

Shawn knocked on the door. "What up?"

"Hello, Cameron," Gus greeted.

"Hey, guys. What are you doing here?"

"Unfortunately, we're here to tell you that you are under arrest for possession of an illegal hot plate."

Carlton rolled his eyes.

Cameron looked at Shawn in confusion. "What?"

"Just messing with you, man. We were in the neighborhood. We thought we'd come by and say hey," Shawn replied as they all walked in.

"Uh…"

Gus took in the two glasses of wine. "Are we interrupting something?"

"Well, actually-"

"Cam?" Lucy interrupted.

"Whoa," Gus said as Shawn whistled.

Carlton and Juliet looked at each other.

"What's going on?" Lucy asked.

"Put a sock on the door next time," Gus scolded.

Cameron tried to cover by saying, "Lucy and I were just comforting each other."

"Is that what the church is calling it these days?"

"You wanna tell us what's going on, Shawn?" Juliet requested.

"I know who was drugging Agatha, and it wasn't Father Westley."

"You don't think it was me, do you?" Cameron asked.

Shawn looked over at Carlton. "What do you think, Lassie?"

"Absolutely."

"Great, now I know for sure that it was…" He pointed at the young couple. "Lucy."

The detectives both looked at him in annoyance.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Come on. Admit it," Shawn admonished. "You wanted Cam the whole time that he and Agatha were together."

She shook her head. "No, no, no. That's so not true."

"Yeah, Lucy and I have always just been friends," Cameron supported.

"Oh, Cam, don't be so naive. Men and women can't be friends."

" _When Harry Met Sally_ taught us that," Gus pointed out.

"It also taught us that women often fake orgasms," Shawn added.

Shawn looked over at Juliet.

Carlton also looked at Juliet, and she looked back at him. She gave him a half-shrug that he knew full-well the meaning of, then gestured back to the proceedings.

Shawn kept talking. "Lucy, you wanted him badly. So badly that it was filling you with guilt. So much guilt that you had to go and confess to someone in order to get it off your chest, isn't that right?"

"Did Father Westley tell you about that?"

"No, you just did."

"I know how this movie ends," Juliet spoke.

"Yep, she desperately wanted them to break up. So she stole Father Westley's medication and secretly gave it to Agatha in hopes that the poor girl would act so crazy that Cameron would dump her."

Gus picked up where Shawn left off. "But Agatha ended up dumping _him,_ but that didn't matter. Because Lucy got what Lucy wanted. But there was a problem. The medication made Agatha too crazy."

"And then Lucy was trapped. 'Cause it was only a matter of time before someone uncovered your little plan."

"Then she overheard Father Westley's proclamation. And she figured she had the perfect thing to throw us off the trail."

"But props to you for your performance as a possessed girl. Linda Blair would be proud. And now you can do your best impression of her in _Chained Heat_."

"And?"

" _Red Heat."_

"Right."

"Two prison movies!"

Both began to make gun noises and gestures.

"Is this true?" Cameron queried. "Lucy?"

"No, no, I never meant to hurt her, honest. I just-I just knew that she wasn't right for you."

Carlton pulled the cuffs out of his back pocket and handed them to Juliet.

Juliet walked over and cuffed her. "Let's go."

She read the girl her rights as she and Carlton walked out the door.

Thursday and Friday were composed purely of working and reports. Nothing too interesting happened. A few petty larcenies and a domestic dispute were the highlights of the two days. On Friday evening, after a quick trip into the Chief's office to explain the new state of their relationship - she wasn't surprised - the two headed out to the Farmer's Market to pick up supplies.

When Juliet's parents pulled up at around seven that night, Carlton and Juliet met them with fresh and piping hot burgers.

 **Okay, so hopefully this makes up for the length of the last chapter and the long time in between. The next chapter will be the last, and it will be composed of the last two days as well as an epilogue. Thank you for sticking with me through this whole journey, and thank you for bearing with me as I deal with my crazy life. I love every single one of you!**


	9. A Better End

**The ending was rushed and not all that good, so I am adding an alternate ending. I'm sorry, guys, for rushing through it before. I was trying to get my life together, and I hadn't gotten very far yet by July. Now here I am after ditching my ex, changing jobs, and taking on a lot more responsibility. I finished my little pet-project - a Lassiet community with a large collection of stories - and now I am here to finally finish this the right way. So without further ado, here is the alternate ending of "Partners in Crime."**

* * *

SATURDAY

Juliet smiled as she awoke in Carlton's arms. She tried to move, but he pulled her even closer.

 _I guess I don't need to get up quite yet._

She smiled at the thought, then settled in and went back to sleep.

For breakfast later that morning, they decided to make egg and sausage stir fry again. Lloyd and Maryanne slept in to enjoy their last full day of vacation, so Carlton and Juliet had quite a bit of time. They slept in a bit, too, before going on a long run. By the time Lloyd and Maryanne were waking to the delicious smells of stir fry, it was nearly ten AM.

Carlton and Juliet had booked a wine tour in advance for the day, and Lloyd and Maryanne were thrilled with the idea. Juliet cautioned that it would not be quite like Nappa, but that they had been to this particular vineyard in the past and knew it to be pretty good.

Mira Gaffney herself welcomed them in, though she did correct them about her current name. "It's 'Alasie' now. I met some kind Inuits while skiing in Alaska with some polar bears. I'm going back next week; would anyone like to come?"

Though both Lloyd and Maryanne thought the quirky girl to have a well-developed sense of adventure, they all managed to escape without planning a vacation with her. The wine was good, and the group was happy.

By the time they finished the tour, it was quickly approaching evening. Carlton decided this would be the perfect time to reveal his surprise. When he did, Juliet kissed him on the spot. For their last night, Carlton had made reservations for everyone to a five star restaurant called Downey's. He had made all the arrangements, and Karen and Richard Vick would be joining them.

Maryanne was absolutely thrilled, as she had enjoyed meeting their boss and looked forward to meeting Karen's husband.

Dinner was a jovial affair, with great food and great company. Richard, whom even Carlton and Juliet had only met a scarce few times, was a sweet man with a wicked sense of humor. He was 6'3" and had chocolate brown hair, and they could see where Iris got her emerald green eyes.

Lloyd got a kick out of sharing financial anecdotes with Richard, who worked at a law firm with quite a few tax attorneys. Lloyd was even able to help Richard decipher an anecdote that a coworker had sent with a great deal of acronyms and references.

A good time was had by all, and the food was immensely delicious.

They began with a lobster & angelhair salad with asparagus, sundried tomatoes, olives & basil. Maryanne swore it was the best seafood salad she had ever tasted.

Karen and Juliet ordered the butternut soup with warm cranberries, and Carlton shamelessly tasted some of Juliet's bowl.

Carlton, Richard, and Juliet ordered the natural angus filet mignon with porcini sauce, roasted artichokes & potatoes. Maryanne and Karen, meanwhile, opted for the Mary's farm chicken breast with wild mushrooms, chives & fettuccini with spinach. Lloyd ordered the Colorado lamb loin with roasted garlic, tom shepherd's green beans & rosemary. He added many anecdotes about a client of his from Colorado with serious financial problems, and Richard offered to ask coworkers for a recommendation about good tax attorneys in the Miami area.

When the bill came, Carlton tried to pay the whole thing. No one would let him, though, and the bill ended up being split three ways with Carlton paying nothing. Juliet paid for his meal and hers, Lloyd paid for his own as well as Maryanne's, and Richard paid for his and Karen's entrees plus everyone's appetizers.

When the night drew to a close, everyone was sad to leave. They hugged the Vicks goodbye, though, and headed off to get some sleep.

* * *

SUNDAY

Juliet's parents left fairly early in the morning, but made sure to say their goodbyes before leaving. Juliet promised to call more, and Maryanne promised they would return much sooner this time for another visit. Lloyd added a note about their economic situation, but Maryanne shut him up.

Carlton and Juliet each hugged Lloyd, then Juliet hugged Maryanne. When it came time for Carlton to hug her, she also kissed his cheek and whispered something in his ear. He turned bright red. Then she and Lloyd got in their rental and drove away.

"What did she whisper?" Juliet asked, looking at the lobster-like shade of her partner and now boyfriend's face.

Carlton shook his head in wonderment. "She said, 'I know what you did for my Julie. Thank you,'" he began. Then, his crimson blush returning, he continued. "And then told me to marry you soon."

Juliet laughed. "I was wondering whether we could actually fool her. Her choice in men may not be that great usually - my dad was a con artist and Lloyd had some gambling problems - but she is pretty smart in all other aspects."

Carlton nodded. "You got that from her."

Juliet laughed. "Well, my taste in men is a bit better than hers. I happen to love an amazing man."

His eyes widened and he stood stock still. "You… you love me?"

Juliet nodded, kissed his cheek, and began to head inside. She turned to look over her shoulder. "Oh, and Carlton?"

"Yeah?"

She smiled. "You can marry me any time you like."

* * *

TWO YEARS LATER

"Thank you again for having us out here, guys," Maryanne gushed. "It's been amazing!"

"Quite a trip," Lloyd agreed, looking down at the gaudy Hawaiian print shirt he'd borrowed from his new friend Henry Spencer, "Though nothing like that first visit."

Carlton laughed. Juliet just smiled.

Carlton stood up and looked over the large group seated at various tables of their luau, then over to his beautiful wife who wore a lei, a coconut bra, and a grass skirt. Smoothing his own guady Hawaiian shirt and walking up to the microphone on Shawn Spencer's makeshift DJ booth, he faced the crowd. "So, time to get down to why we invited you all here today. My wife and I have some amazing news for you."

Juliet smiled, looked directly at her mother, then back up at the party and her husband.

"We are going to have a baby!"

The whole party erupted in cheers and catcalls. After Carlton stepped down and got an array of congratulations, Maryanne approached and dragged him away from the crowd.

"Congratulations."

He blushed. "Thank you. You have no idea how long I've wanted children. And to be having a child with her…"

He trailed off as he caught her gaze across the room.

Maryanne just smiled.

"Things like this don't happen to me, Maryanne," he told her. "Things like Juliet and this baby…. I can still barely believe this is my life. I keep waiting for her to wake up and realize she could do a lot better."

"She could do a lot worse."

Carlton shrugged. "All I know is even if I woke up tomorrow and none of this had really happened, it would be the best damn dream I've ever had."

"I'm glad I wasn't wrong about you, Carlton Lassiter," his mother-in-law told him. "You're an amazing husband, and you're going to be an amazing father. I'm so glad my Julie made the right choice by bringing you into all of this. Just don't be afraid to keep taking chances, okay?"

He hugged her tightly. "If I'm even half the man you and your daughter seem to think I am, they aren't really chances at all."

 **The End**

 **Hopefully a better end this time.**


End file.
